Michael Altenberg, chef/owner of Bistro Campagne, passes away

Condolences to the friends and family of chef Michael Altenberg, chef/owner of Bistro Campagne (4518 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-271-6100), who passed away suddenly in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Altenberg, 48, was a first-rate chef; his resume reads like a history of Chicago fine dining. He was head chef at Avanzare, Cassis, Gordon and Montparnasse restaurants; he worked at Le Francais in the Jean Banchet days. He opened Campagnola in Evanston, Crust pizzeria in Wicker Park and Bistro Campagne, all as owner/partner.

But Altenberg also was one of Chicago's pioneers in the organic-ingredient, farm-to-table movements in Chicago. Crust, which closed recently, was the first certified-organic restaurant in Chicago.

"The reason people like me do sustainable, organic and farm-to-table cooking is because the way was paved by (Rick) Bayless and Michael," says Daniel Jacobs, executive chef at Roots Restaurant and Cellar in Milwaukee and Altenberg's chef de cuisine for four years at Bistro Campagne.

Such products as Gunthorp Farm pork and Rushing Waters trout, virtual givens on fine-dining menus today, are there in large part because Altenberg, and chefs who listened to him, created a market for these products, sacrificing short-term profit margins (quality product costs more) to bring better food to Chicago diners.

"Michael was one of the first guys who jumped on the natural-food bandwagon," says Randy Zweiban, executive chef at Province. "He was a huge supporter of the local farm community 12, 13 years go, before a lot of people became involved in it. He was a true Chicago chef, and a great loss for our community."

"He really didn't get the recognition for making farm-to-table so important," says Gilbert Langlois, whose restaurant, Chalkboard, sits just a few blocks south of Bistro Campagne. "I don't think he sought that sort of stardom, but he pushed a lot of chefs, especially young chefs, into that mindset."

"I have a lot of love there for him," Jacobs adds. "He was like an older brother; I wouldn't be the cook I am now if not for him. I still look back at the bistro as my happiest time cooking; it was the first place I ever worked that let me have my voice. I mean, Michael would correct me if I went too far afield, but he let me do my thing."

Bistro Campagne was featured on WTTW's"Check Please," a few years back; you can see the video, which includes a short interview with Altenberg, here.

"He was great to work with," says "Check Please" executive producer Dave Manilow, "and Bistro Campagne always was a go-to place in Lincoln Square. He was very forward-thinking in how he was cooking, especially in light of where we are now. It's a nice legacy."

There will be a memorial service on Wednesday; details have not been announced.